1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to modeling the performance of integrated circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
The integrated circuit (IC) industry relies on simulation to verify the functionality of and to predict the performance of ICs prior to fabrication. Conventional IC simulators, such as SPICE, contain models of the behavior of each of the individual devices that can be fabricated within an IC and permit users to specify interconnections between the individual devices within an IC design in order to model the overall functionality and performance of the modeled IC. Thus, in order to achieve predictive accuracy, conventional IC simulators must include accurate models for devices such as resistors, capacitors, inductors and transistors (e.g., Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs)).
Because transistors exhibit a complex non-linear behavior, transistor models are correspondingly complex, often having one hundred or more parameters. Consequently, an accurate transistor model takes a long time to characterize. For example, currently in industry, it is not uncommon for the development of a complete MOSFET model to require several months. To generate useful predictions, the model must additionally be validated or characterized over all values of temperature, voltage, device dimensions, and other fabrication variables. The time required to generate the complete MOSFET model and then validate it contributes significantly to the overall expense and length of the design cycle.